Winning start for Moscow

Winning start for Moscow

19 December 2012

BALLYNOE trainer Brian Hamilton is looking forward to the season ahead after Moscow Mannon made a winning debut over hurdles at Navan on his comeback run earlier this month.

The odds-on favourite (10/11) made every yard of the running in the maiden hurdle under jockey Andrew Lynch and was foot-perfect throughout, stretching clear after the last to hold off the challenge of Willie Mullins’ The Paparrazi Kid by two and three parts of a length.

Speaking to the Recorder last night the local trainer was well pleased with the first run of the season and hoped Moscow Mannon continue on a winning thread.

“He has come out of the race very well and will probably head for the Slaney Hurdle at Naas in the New Year,” said Hamilton on Monday.

“After that I will be better placed in relation to choosing our next target. Andrew was very happy after the race and felt there was more improvement to come, so hopefully he’s right on that score.”

John Flanagan’s Ballygowan-owned gelding certainly looks a chaser in the making, but may well have a big future over the smaller obstacles, judging by the manner of this success.

Meanwhile, at Navan on Sunday, Crossgar trainer Colin McBratney saddled Sole Witness for a 16/1 success under Ben Dalton in the handicap chase.

McBratney had planned to run Sole Witness in the Troytown chase at the track last month, but had to pull the plug on those plans when the horse scoped badly in the run-up to the race.

• Downpatrick jockey Gerald Tumelty has become a bit of an internet sensation having joined forces with fellow riders Sam Jones, David Crosse, Charlie Huxley and Colin Bolger for their jockey-style Gangham parody.

The quintet put their dance moves to good use in the clip which to date has had over 620,000 views on You Tube in the past few weeks.

Tumelty, who landed a 33/1 winner on Shilpa at Fakenham earlier in the month, is no stranger to the big screen, having landed a bit-part in the 2011 Steven Spielberg blockbuster, War Horse.